Sweet Hood River Wedding

Oregon has so much to offer in terms of wedding venues that it can be hard to narrow down options. Do you want the beach or the mountains? Located right on the Columbia River, Hood River has both beautiful water and mountain views. Ryan and Adam’s Hood River wedding was filled with beautiful nature and intimate moments. They topped it all off with an adventurous and romantic post-wedding couples session at Cape Kiwanda.      

A Hood River Wedding

There’s no doubt that the landscape is what makes a Hood River wedding so appealing. Mountains rise up all around. The Columbia River winds past to where it meets the Hood River. There are city and state parks for people to enjoy the stunning nature. Before Ryan and Adam’s wedding, we found a field with wildflowers to get some photos of a movie-worthy kiss.

A Hood River wedding provides opportunities for magical photos, especially for couples with a sense of adventure. For Ryan and Adam’s wedding, we snuck away to explore the woods and meadows around their venue. The sun cast a golden glow through the trees casting a cozy warmth over everything. I love the way the light shines through Ryan’s veil. 

Hood River has features that make it a great place to plan a wedding for adventurers and foodies alike. The city bills itself as the windsurfing capital of the world. For those looking for a more lowkey experience, the area is full of wineries and craft breweries. Local spirits are a fun way to customize your Hood River wedding.

Ryan and Adam’s Thoughtful Ceremony and Reception

Ryan and Adam’s Hood River wedding reflected how thoughtful they are. Ryan is a teacher, and she is exceedingly kind. The only thing that could have equaled her excitement at marrying Adam was Britney Spears getting engaged on the same day!

Luckily, Ryan and Adam are also good at persevering through challenges. Many couples have faced obstacles to getting married in the last two years, and Ryan and Adam were no exception. They actually had to change their venue. Instead of stressing, they adjusted to the changes gracefully. 

With the mountains stretching out behind the ceremony, it looked like Ryan and Adam were saying “I do” at the edge of the wilderness. The ceremony space didn’t need much decoration to be breathtaking. Fluffy white flowers draped over the arbor for a fairytale touch. When Ryan and Adam saw each other, their smiles were everything. 

For their Hood River wedding reception, Ryan and Adam decided to have pizza. Is there a bigger crowd pleaser? Beautiful details elevated the casual faire. The tablescape included vintage purple, pink, and white vases as well as gold cutlery and blush pink plates. Even the cake was piled with pink roses and white hydrangeas. 

Cape Kiwanda Wedding Portraits

Ryan and Adam took a slightly different approach to their wedding portraits. In addition to the photos on their wedding day, they decided to do a session at Cape Kiwanda. Cape Kiwanda is on the Oregon Coast on the opposite side of Portland from Hood River. Logistically, it wouldn’t have been possible to drive three hours for portraits on their wedding day. This way Ryan didn’t have to worry as much about her dress getting sandy, and she could get lost in the moment with Adam.

Cape Kiwanda is a favorite location for Oregon Coast elopement photography for clear reasons. It has all of the coast’s best features, including a giant sand dune, sandstone cliffs, and otherworldly tidal pools. The crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean almost lull people into forgetting that I’m there photographing their joy.

As great as Ryan and Adam looked with the Cascade Mountains rolling behind them on their wedding day, they looked like absolute movie stars on the windy beach. Just look at how Ryan’s dress flares around her. The wild landscape of Cape Kiwanda encourages a loving combination of playfulness and romance. Ryan and Adam are sure to treasure these photos as intimate reflections of their relationship.

Are you looking for an Oregon elopement photographer? I would love to be a part of your day - and the journey leading up to it. Let’s make it happen!